Video accessories such as a video tape recorder (VTR), a video disk player (VDP) and a video game are increasingly used as alternative program sources for television receivers. A television receiver can receive local signals from these alternative program sources instead of broadcast signals received via an antenna. When an alternative program source is to be introduced to a television receiver, the connection of an antenna and antenna terminals of the receiver has to be changed to the connection of the antenna terminals and a coaxial cable extending from the video accessory. When a video accessory is installed permanently, this change is, generally, performed by a mechanical or electronic antenna switch. An example of such an electronic antenna switch is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,591.
However, when the use of a video accessory is temporary, for example when a rental video accessory is used, feeder lines that are extended from an antenna and are connected to antenna terminals of a television receiver are removed, and instead, end fittings of a connecting cable assembly extending from a video accessory are attached to the antenna terminals. Further, when the video accessory is disconnected from the television receiver, the reverse procedure is required. The connecting cable assembly attached to a rental video accessory is required to be durable and easy to handle because its attachment to and detachment from antenna terminals is frequently repeated. The prior art connecting cable assembly is provided with a relatively long coaxial cable having at one end a video connector fittable to an RF-OUT socket of a video accessory, relatively flat and parallel feeder lines having a pair of Y-shaped jacks to be connected to antenna terminals of a television receiver, and a relay for electrically connecting the other ends of the coaxial cable and the other ends of the feeder lines to each other. When it is used, on the one hand the video connector is attached to the socket of the video accessory, on the other hand screws of the antenna terminals of the receiver are loosened, the antenna feeder lines are removed from the terminals, and instead, the Y-shaped jacks of the feeder lines extending from the relay are attached. The attaching and detaching of the Y-shaped jacks is troublesome, and further since disconnection is liable to occur at the connected part of the Y-shaped jacks and the feeder lines, the prior art connecting cable assembly for alternative program sources has been unsatisfactory.